Desert of Life
by Zevrok
Summary: Odds and ends of people who wake up in a desert, with powers they don't recognize, form a guild with the intent of surviving long enough to discover the purpose of the land they've been placed in.
1. Chapter 1

"He told me everything."

A white voice rings out amidst the growing darkness.

"As much as he wouldn't talk to others, he would talk to me."

The smile grows as the claw is pulled from his gut.

"His problems, his triumphs... love interests..."

Blinding light consumes.

"Everything."

* * *

The desert heat permeates Galron's thin mercenary clothes as he and his companions approach the temple-like structure. Checking a map he pulls from the small satchel on his hip, he nods in confirmation.

"Looks like this is it, eh?" He mutters, pawing at the shortsword fastened loosely to his hip, opposite the satchel.

The hooded companions nod in unison, and Galron frowns in response.

"You guys better start makin noise or I'll make you... make... noise." He says, and after realizing he will get no response he sighs and turns back towards the temple before hesitatingly walking in. The further in they go, the darker it gets.

"Make yourselves useful." He grunts without stopping.

Thin lines of electricity run from behind him, and creep up the walls to reveal a massive stone enclave, lined with runes seemingly ages old. Upon contact with the runes, the lines turn a dark shade of green. Slowly the lines inch towards the top of the seemingly endless tower. Upon reaching the top, they turn and converge in the center of the flat ceiling.

After a few moments of taking in the massive enclosure, Galron's companions shove past him to the center. Upon arrival, they immediately start channeling, their hands burning an intense purple.

Galron draws his sword, and looks around for something he can help with. From the walls come thousands of vermin. From rats to locusts, the runes spew the flying ones, while the earthbound of them fall to the floor, where they immediately scamper towards the nearest of the three intruders.

He takes out a few of them here and there, and is eventually overwhelmed by the sheer mass of the assailants. Looking to his companions, he sees them, head thrown back, fire-infused lightning whipping around them. From above them, the horned head of nightmares screams it's way in through the wall.

With wide eyes and a trail of vermin, he sprints in the opposite direction of the abomination. Upon contact with the desert sun's embrace, the swarm dissapates into a redish-purple mist. Tripping over the final step to the tower, he falls to his back, squirming to be rid of the last remnants of the bugs.

An explosion of energy distracts him from the sensation of his injuries, and to the massive beam of red-purple light from the spot he ran from. The beam crackles in the air for a few seconds before dissapating with an ear-shattering guttural scream. His eyes linger on the spot the beam was for a moment, and he falls to his back.

* * *

A sharp pain rouses Galron. His eyes open, and quickly shut to adjust to the sun. When focus returns, his hooded companions hover at either side of him.

"What the _hell_ was that?" He coughs out, sitting up slowly. "You summon that thing?" Suddenly, he looks more alert. "You a demon worshipper, boy?" he whispers to the man to the right, grabbing the collar of his hood. The one to the left puts a hand on his shoulder, and points in a seemingly random direction.

Slapping the hand off himself, he starts in the direction indicated, followed closely by the other two.

* * *

After about an hour of travel, Galron speaks up.

"So you wanna tell me what exactly we came there for?"

Each of them pulls a flask of red-purple mist from their robes.

"What is it?" There is no response as they place the mist back into their cloaks.

"You listen here, you fucking coward Magi. I've got a right mind to end you right here with my fists, but I need the money from this contract. I don't get into that guild, I don't get what I need." He starts to continue, but a cough from behind interrupts him. He looks to his rear, to the Magi, then runs over the small hill.

A creature with the torso of a female human, and the absurdly long bottom of a serpent writhes in pain, naked, on the sand.

"Well lookie what we have here. Some sort of hybrid." He says loudly, so as his voice carries to his companions. He grabs her arm, and lifts her over his head by it. "She may be half snake, but still looks like she's got all the parts I need." he says with a chuckle. He throws her to the ground and starts messing with his clothing, much to the girl's dismay. She attempts to crawl away, only to have her tail be stomped by Galron's boot.

With a dry scream, she struggles to escape him, to no avail.

He lets out a frustrated grunt and walks over to the girl. About halfway there, a scythe blade hooks around his shoulder, and he promptly spins around with it's guidance.

One of the hooded men has removed the hood to reveal an 20-something man aged beyond his years through hardship or otherwise. A small beard encircles his mouth, and his hair is done up in a foxtail. His face is fury incarnate.

"Coward."


	2. Chapter 2

"As much as he talked to me, he never really _talked_. He used the same process he used to drive people insane to communicate in everyday conversation. While the airy tone of his 'voice' certainly fit him, I always wondered what he would sound like were the noises forced out of him. My greatest regret is that I never tickled him." The voice laughs humorlessly.

"It sounds odd out loud, but if we're putting it all out there, there it is."

* * *

Carrying a near-300 pound snake and dragging a 200 pound grown man across the desert has its tolls on a man. While when she was picked up she was passed out from heat exhaustion, she now is asleep. Careful administration of water during travel ensures that she survives until morning. The man, however, suffers a severe rash from sand, and is dehydrated to near death. Having awoken several times, the caster dragging him through the sand by a scythe to the knee knows he is alive, as he should be for the time being.

Step by step he drags himself up a large dune in the dark of the night. Knees wavering from exhaustion, the sight of the average-sized shack half buried in the sand keeps the caster running for that much longer. Speeding to a light jog, he slugs towards the run-down bastion of salvation. Upon reaching the door, he hesitates, and lifts the snake-woman in his arms above his head, where it rests on his shoulders. With a few quick gestures at the door, it slams open.

"Whaddufuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucccccccccccc" a muffled groan from the couch in the otherwise bare bones living room makes the caster rub his face in exasperation.

"Apologies." comes a deep, yet light voice from the caster's direction.

As soon as the first syllable is spoken, the source of the groan shoots up from her face-down position on the couch.

"Chess?" At his nod, she hops up and stumbles as fast as she can towards him, pulling him into a hug. "You're home early, I thought you were Lux doing her stupid nighttime gardening thing. What is..." She looks at the large mass coiled around the man, obscured in the darkness. He gives a noncommittal shrug before unhooking the base of the scythe from a loop in the belt of his ornate purple robes, dropping it and the fraction of the man's leg with it.

"Another 'coward'?" He nods again. "You really need to stop killing people who you think aren't good."

"He was about to rape this one."

Her eyes widen, and she sits back down on the couch as Chess carries the hybrid upstairs. Turning right, he opens the first door with a phantom hand that materializes on the knob. The door opens much softer than the front one did, revealing a room containing a bookcase, a desk next to it, and a bed on the opposite wall. Walking over to it, he places the woman portion of her on the bed, and lets the rest coil off him, only to pick it up and wind it along the bed in order to fit its contours. Once done, the blanket lazily flung into the corner floats up and over the snake, and she coils slightly into herself.

Observing her for a few moments longer, he walks over to the bookshelf and takes out a book written in intricate runes, then makes his way back downstairs, closing the door quietly behind him.

Upon reaching the couch once more, he lifts the legs of the prone woman, sits in their place, and rests the legs on his lap.

"So you said he was going to... rape her? Are you sure? Was he just hinting at it, or...?" Chess shakes his head in the negative. In response, she leans back into the pillow on the armrest of the couch.

Looking up from his book, Chess sees the slight glints of light on her face from the dim moon. He rubs one of her feet with a gloved hand. She lets a small sob loose, and quietly asks "Who could do something like that?" He looks over at her with his piercing green eyes and nods towards the doorway, in which the runed handle of the scythe sticks straight up. She sniffs, then leans back and submits to his lazily administered foot massage, the book titled "Exotic Creatures of Azeroth and Beyond," now floating a small distance away from his face.

After a while, she relaxes and eventually her breathing steadies into the rhythm of sleep. Looking over, Chess confirms his thoughts. The book flutters closed, and places itself on the floor next to the couch. Bringing his legs up into a cross, he removes his gloves and places a hand on her leg. Thumb flickering back and forth, feeling the softness of her skin, mind wandering. After a while of this, he shakes his head in frustration and brings his other hand up to her lower leg.

Soft blue light emanates from his fingertips as he works.

* * *

You bring your head up to his, and your lips meet. His unkempt, chapped lips slide roughly over your smooth ones. Arms wrapping around his neck, he lifts you up by your behind and you giggle into the kiss. Shifting your weight, you're able to knock him over for the first time. Perhaps he let himself get into this position.

Finally breaking off for air, the first words out of your mouth are "I love you." You smile from above him, but he does not return it. It's not surprising, but it still makes you sad.

Sadness fills his eyes as he speaks...or rather, implies, with his strange manner of speech, the words you had been dreading ever since you initiated that kiss.

"Vi..." He speaks silently, with his true voice, one you have not yet heard.

Your heart shatters for the millionth time as you realize it's the same dream again.

The fact that it's a dream doesn't make it hurt any less.

* * *

Your tear-encrusted eyelids open, and you raise your hand to rub them, but a clawed hand grabs it before it reaches it's intended target.

Looking up, you see the blurry vision of Chess. Massive purple horns adorn his forehead, and his eyes are wide-open, filled with the starry-colored influence of the 'Void' he told you about. His wings, matching the horns, twitch and flutter with distress.

"What's the matter?" He says commandingly in that two-toned voice he has when he's asleep.

"Nothing. Just a bad dream." You say, a little over-defensively.

The center of his eyes opens to a little white pinprick and he studies you intensely. He doesn't look satisfied, but he releases you.

"I'm always available to talk."

The crap on your eyes dampens as you start to cry again. "I'm fine, just gonna go for a bath."

You feel his version of a concerned gaze on the back of your head as you open the door to the bathroom under the stairs. Closing it, you turn around to a naked Lux looking concernedly at you from her spot in the bath..

"OH. My God, I'm sorry, I'll-"

"Oh nonononono it's fine, hun. What's wrong?" It's not as if you haven't seen Lux naked before, as you lived with her for years before you both met Chess.

"Ugh... heheh, remember a few weeks ago, when I told you about that recurring dream?"

"Ooooh you poor thing. C'mere."

"Uh..."

"I insist." You walk over, fully clothed, to beside the bath and take a seat. She grabs your head with both hands and pulls you in as far as she can with the side of the bath blocking your bodies from touching. She wipes the tears from your eyes and attempts to comfort you.

You know him. He can only see when he's asleep." You share a small laugh with her.

"It's not as if I haven't been trying to tell him, it's that he wont notice with that dense mute head of his."

"Hmhmm, yeah. Why d'ya think he's so observant when he's in that trance of his?"

"Dunno. Just another fuckin thing I don't know about him. Maybe that's why I like him, because he's so mysterious and _dangerousss." _You say, waving your hands dramatically. That would be a possibility, but little crushes based on that don't last 2 years.

"Maybe."

"I mean he's saved our lives countless times, and for what? Nothing! He hasn't made a single move on either of us, and doesn't accept my advances. Hasn't asked for payment, nothing. What's his deal?" You lean your head back as the last of your tears are swallowed up by Lux's fingers.

"Thanks, Lux. I feel better."

"Don't mention it _sis."_

__You growl as you stand and stretch. "Whatever."

As you open the door, Chess' face fills your vision.

"You're red."

"You're damn right I am! What are you doing outside the bathroom?"

"Curious."

Your stomach drops a mile as you realize what he could've heard. "Were you eavesdropping!?"

"I'd never."

"So you were just standing there...?"

He nods, and you stare at him for a few moments. He doesn't falter, and you sidestep him into the living room.

"You're dry."

"And?"

He looks at you blankly. Turning on his heel and walking towards the door, he mumbles a "I'm going for a walk."

"Hey, mind if I tag along?" He snaps towards you and stares. "What?!"

"Nothing. Come." He heads out the door, and you follow close behind.


End file.
